Kruger State School eNewsletter

From the Principal – Maja Bogicevic

Serve now for a better tomorrow.

Samoan Proverb

Teaching young generations to better understand the world they live in and what they can do to make it better, is one of the things we strive for every day. We know from research that a child’s reading ability significantly impacts on the choices they have later in life when it comes to study and work.

Kruger State School’s strong focus on teaching reading using explicit instruction is aimed at helping our students reach their reading goals sooner. To ensure we target the instruction to where our students’ needs are, our teachers continue to gather reading data and collaboratively plan learning experiences that will help our students experience success. This Wednesday, our teachers engaged in a two-hour professional development session looking at our reading journey so far and planning our next steps. We look forward to seeing our results at the end of Term 1, when the first report cards will come home.

The first P&C meeting took place yesterday led by our P&C President, Tracey Moore. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss this year’s fundraising and grant application opportunities and the proposal to increase tuckshop prices considering there have not been any price increases over the last few years. The P&C agreed to lift tuckshop prices by 10%; however, please note that our uniform prices will remain the same. As always, our tuckshop operators do a fantastic job and would benefit greatly if you could volunteer some time on a day or two to lend a hand and help serve our students. Thank you for considering this request. Thank you also to all the P&C members and parents who attended the meeting. Your support is truly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter where, amongst other things, you will meet our Youth Workers whose job is to support the wellbeing of our students and help them better engage with learning; be introduced to two new teachers who have joined our team this year and find out all about our Reading journey.

Thank you, parents and carers, for all your support and partnership in education. As one community, one Kruger Family, we can achieve amazing things for our children.

Contact Email: mbogi4@eq.edu.au

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning - Elena Finlay

Partnering for Success: Supporting Student Learning at Kruger

It’s been a busy two weeks at Kruger as learning unfolds for the term.

This Wednesday evening our dedicated teachers came together to analyse student learning and reading data and discuss the next steps to support their students’ progress. We’re proud to have such a committed team of teachers who are passionate about helping every student succeed.

Thank you for partnering with us to help your children be the best they can be!

Curriculum Overviews

Curriculum overviews for each year level have been emailed to families. If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your junk or spam folder.

If you have any questions about the information, please don’t hesitate to contact your child's teacher.

Contact Email: efinl9@eq.edu.au

Deputy Principal Prep to Year 2 - Katie Robinson

On Monday it was exciting to meet so many families at our Welcome Back Barbecue. Pride was beaming from the students as they brought their family to visit their classrooms and meet their teachers. Our next open classroom event will be held during the last week of school on Monday 31 March for the Term One Celebration of Learning. Our positive behaviour for learning (PBL) focus for this week has been around being safe in toilets. For the lower years, we’ve been practising our T sign which signals for the student they need to go to the toilet. Ask your child to practise the T sign at home with you.

Contact Email: krske0@eq.edu.au

Head of Special Education Services & Acting Deputy Principal Year 3 to Year 6 - Regina Birchley

Welcome to Week 4!

We are almost halfway through what has a busy term. Thank you to all parents and carers who have engaged with the school to support their child’s learning.

Kruger State School’s values, ‘We are Learners, We are Respectful, We are Safe and We are Honest’, assists to create an environment in which respectful learners can grow and everyone feels safe and supported at school regardless of diverse needs. When students follow the school’s values, they develop behaviours and attitudes that promotes healthy, safe and respectful relationships with peers and staff. Thank you to students who consistently follow our school values.

Toys at school

Students are asked not to bring toys to school. When toys come to school, this can result in fighting, toys go missing or break, and they cause distractions in the classroom. The school is not responsible for any toys that go missing or are broken at school. If your child has a fiddle tool or cuddle toy for sensory needs, please discuss this with your child’s teacher so we can understand how best to support your child at school. Alternatively, please ask your child to keep any toys at home.

Asthma

A gentle reminder to ensure your child has an updated asthma plan and a consent to administer medication form has been completed at the office. The office must be aware of any medication brought to school.

Prep Hearing and Vision Screening

Thank you to parents who used the QR code and consented to having their child’s hearing tested at school on 17 February 2025.

Prep Vision screening is tentatively booked in for early May. Information and paper consent forms will be coming home shortly!

Contact Email: rbirc14@eq.edu.au

Guidance Officer - Allen Weynberg

What is the Rock and Water Program?

Recently, Youth Workers and the wider Wellbeing Team have been getting excited about rolling out “Rock and Water” sessions to students at our school. Some students may receive a specific consent form detailing a group they have been asked to join. Other students may just mention Rock and Water because they have seen staff and students use some of the techniques in the school.

The Rock and Water Program is a practical and engaging program designed to help students build confidence and resilience. Themes of self-control, self-reflection and self-confidence run throughout the program.

Rock and Water combines physical activities with important life skills, teaching students how to manage their emotions, communicate effectively, and handle challenging situations in a positive way.

The program uses the concepts of "Rock" and "Water" to help students understand different ways of responding to life’s challenges. The "Rock" approach represents standing firm in your beliefs, setting boundaries, and showing inner strength. The "Water" approach focuses on flexibility, cooperation, and problem-solving. By learning when to use each approach, students develop skills to navigate social situations with confidence and respect.

Through a combination of games, breathing exercises, and physical activities, students practice self-awareness, self-regulation, and teamwork. They also learn how to handle peer pressure, resolve conflicts, and build positive relationships.

The Rock and Water Program is beneficial for all students, helping them to develop the skills they need to feel more confident, calm, and in control of their actions. It supports both their personal and social development, giving them tools that will help them throughout school and life.

Business Manager - Melissa Henderson

Thank you for taking the time to read the key messages below and keeping informed.

KEY MESSAGES FOR FAMILIES

Student Safety Messages

How you can help us keep our children safe at school:

Child Safety Gates at School Gates
For the safety of our students, please ensure that you close the child safety gates that are located at Gates 1, 3 and 9 on the school perimeter fencing. These are not self-closing gates.
Report any unauthorised filming / photography of Kruger students

Reminder that filming or photographing students in school grounds is not permitted. This includes standing outside of the school fencing and filming students at play inside the school. Please report any suspicious activity to the Office.

Student Activities – Forms and Payments Due

Student Resource Scheme (SRS) Payments – Whole School

Reminder – the due date for SRS fees on the invoices emailed to families is next Friday 28 February. If you don’t already have an approved payment plan in place, an instalment minimum of 50% of the invoice is required.
SRS Fees for the year vary according to the Year level of the student, as per the schedule of fees below:

Prep ..... $110
Year 1 ..... $95
Years 2-4 ..... $75
Years 5-6 ..... $65

For more information, please see the Annual Parent Information letter on the school’s website.

Senior Shirts – Year 6 Students only

Order forms only (not payments) were due back today.

Shirts will be ordered on Monday afternoon, so if you haven’t returned your forms, you may do so on Monday morning before lunch. No orders will be accepted after 12pm Monday.

Payment ($40 per shirt) is not yet due but full payment is required for the shirts to be collected by students.

Shirts are expected to be delivered at the beginning of Term 2.

Swimming Notes and Payments – Students in Years 4 and 6 only

Reminder – swimming notes must be returned by Tuesday 25 February.

Please return swimming notes to the Office so that invoices can be raised.

Full payment ($40) must be received or an approved payment plan in place before swimming commences in week 7.

Facilities Updates

Bell and PA System – Ongoing issues
Unfortunately we are still experiencing problems with our Bell and PA System. Most of the issues have been rectified and sound has been restored to all areas other than the Hall. We are working on the issues.

Construction Works and Allowable Noise Levels
Works are continuing at the school on the Middle Amenities Block Rebuild. Plumbing and other prep works for the slab pour are well underway.
Please be assured that we are monitoring the noise levels for our students and ensuring there is minimal disruption to learning.
For those families who live near the school, please be assured that Council’s noise level guidelines are being adhered to. As a quick reference for your information, allowable noise limits are permitted as follows:
- Building and Construction works
  Monday to Saturday 6:30am to 6:30pm
  Sundays and Public Holidays – no audible noise permitted

Machinery Power Tools and Gardening Equipment
Monday to Saturday 7:00am – 7:00pm
Sundays and Public Holidays 8:00am – 7:00pm

Contact Email: admin@krugerss.eq.edu.au

Flexi Space - Jenni Atkinson

FlexiSpace at Kruger is up and running for 2025. We have some very keen year 5 and 6 students that have been finding their learning styles, setting goals and exploring how to use a Growth Mindset to face new challenges. The FlexiSpace class motto for all our students and staff is – BELONG, BELIEVE, BECOME.

Without a doubt our bike desk is a very popular part of our space and is well used every day.

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Lauryn

My name is Lauryn and I am a part of the amazing team of Youth workers here at Kruger State School. I came here as a student many years ago so for me, Kruger is home and it’s where I feel like I belong. My hope is to show our student’s that they are loved, heard and are in a safe space within our Kruger family. In my free time, I enjoy playing guitar and singing, drawing and travelling to new places with my family.

“How could you ever feel comfortable if no matter where you went, you felt like you belonged someplace else?” – Mark Peter Hughes.

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Lachlan

Hi there! I’m Lachlan, one of the youth workers here at Kruger SS. With a background in music, particularly jazz, and expertise in vocal pedagogy (Singing Teaching), I’m passionate about inspiring young people to explore and enjoy the world of music. I believe in helping students discover their unique talents and develop an appreciation for all musical styles.

When I’m not immersed in music, you’ll often find me in the garden or out bushwalking, enjoying the beauty of nature. I’m excited to be part of the Kruger community and look forward to fostering a love of music and creativity among our students.

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Mollie

Hi, I'm Mollie a Youth Worker at Kruger.

I started at Kruger in Term 4 last year and feel I have joined an amazing team.

I have been in the education system for 12 years working in admin and student behaviour.

My passion is supporting students to be the best version of themselves. We are all different and learn differently.

I love spending time with my adult children, cooking, netball, NRL (go the Storm) and soccer (Central Coast Mariners).

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Tema

My name is Tema and I am a youth worker here at Kruger State School. I am passionate about supporting students in realising their potential for success by addressing barriers that have been put in their path. I believe in embracing culture and building relationships in order to empower kids to feel successful in who they are before they even enter the classroom. In my own time, I enjoy playing rugby and spending time with my family. I'm looking forward to connecting with the Kruger community and seeing what we can accomplish throughout 2025.

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Naomi

Hi! My name is Naomi and I’m a Youth Worker. I’m here to help our students know that they belong. I care about making sure everyone feels included and building resilience so young people can grow, learn, and make strong connections within our beautiful Kruger community.

Meet Our Team - Youth Worker - Chris

Hi, I'm Chris a part of the awesome team of Youth Workers here at Kruger. This is my 17th year at Kruger, all of my own children attended Kruger and are now adults who still use strategies they learned during their years here. My passion is supporting students in a safe environment, watching their personal and academic growth and developing their sense of belonging by being a part of our fantastic Kruger community. I will be working across the school throughout the year, but mainly in Kruger FlexiSpace. I love to chill and chat with students in the Zen Den while drawing, colouring in or playing Uno.

“Together we create our future, because our children are our future”

NAPLAN Practice at Kruger!

Week 4 saw our Year 3 and Year 5 students becoming familiar with the NAPLAN assessment platform in preparation for NAPLAN in Week 7. It was fantastic to see them applying their knowledge and confidently engaging with the tasks.

For more information about the NAPLAN tasks and to provide your child with additional practice in literacy and numeracy at their year level, please visit the following link:

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site

If you have any questions regarding NAPLAN, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay, Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning at efinl9@eq.edu.au.

English Across Kruger

At the Weeks 3 and 4 Monday Parades, students have been sharing what they are learning in English.

Students across all year levels will be sharing a presentation with their peers at the end of this term. We encourage you to check in with your child about their presentation and see if they’d like to practise it with you at home.

If you have any questions, please reach out to their teacher—we’re here to help!

Reading is Everyone’s Business at Kruger!

Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, our Year 5 and 6 students participate in the ‘Reading with the Preps’ elective. This is one of the largest electives, showcasing the heart of Kruger Kids as they choose to help others and share their skills over other options like sport.

Below is a photo of one of our senior students, Zyric (6D) reading with Anita (Prep D). He enthusiastically provides immediate feedback as Anita learns to write her letters.

Well done Year 5 and 6 students for making a positive impact and fostering a love of reading

Reading Across Kruger!

Our Kruger Preps are making fantastic progress on their reading journey! Over the next three weeks, they will be introduced to six new sounds. They have already learned s, a, t, p, i, and n, and next they will be exploring m, r, h, e, d, and c, with two new sounds introduced each week.

Along with recognising these sounds, the Preps will also practise writing them with correct letter formation. It’s an exciting time as they build their confidence in early literacy skills! To support their learning, daily practice at home of the letter sounds, their formation, and blending sounds will help reinforce what they learn in class and set them up for success.

📚 Reading at Home Matters!
No matter if your child is in Prep or Year 6, reading together for at least 15 minutes each day makes a big difference. This simple habit strengthens literacy foundations and fosters a love of reading.

If you’d like more information on how to support your child’s reading development, please reach out to their class teacher—we’re here to help!

Let’s keep nurturing a love of reading together! 💙

Teaching and Learning

Prep

In prep A we have been reading the very hungry caterpillar. We have been practising our sharing and speaking skills by talking our favourite and least favourite food. We also learned about the butterfly life cycle. Check out our amazing work!

Year 1

Class 1D has been working hard on their sentence writing skills! They have been selecting a noun, verb, and adjective to create fun and interesting sentences. It's amazing to see how their creativity is blossoming as they put words together in new ways. Keep up the great work, Class 1D!

Year 2

In Year 2, Students locate and identify positions of features in two-dimensional representations and move position by following directions and pathways.

Year 3

Starting from Week 3, Year 3 students have gradually adjusted to the school routines and learning timetable. This term, we have focused on exploring the world around us.

We looked at how people celebrate birthdays in different countries, with a special focus on Lunar New Year celebrations in Asia. As part of this, students created beautiful lanterns. We also expressed our love and appreciation for our parents by making flowers and handwritten cards.

In addition, we continue to work on improving our handwriting, with some students already progressing to writing words. Moving forward, we will focus on the sounds of words and phonics to support our writing development. In our writing class, we explore new countries and cultures through books. Culture forms the foundation of people's daily lives, and by reading, we gain a deeper understanding of these different ways of life. We use this opportunity to put sentences and ideas together in sequences, sharing our thoughts with the class. The Year 3 students also had the chance to play different characters and mimic their voices.

Let’s continue to build the best version of ourselves here at Kruger State School!

Year 4

Week 4

Students’ have been learning about line and rotational symmetry of shapes and designs. To support students with this topic, students were using hands-on-learning to explore various shapes to determine whether a shape has line and/or rotational symmetry. It was great seeing the engagement of the student’s as they demonstrated their understanding of the topic.

Rocks, rock! Our mini geologists took to nature as they collected samples of rocks, pebbles, and stones for our Science unit, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. This week we have explored the difference between weathering and erosion, through careful observations of the material we unearthed and used our understanding of adjectives to describe what we are observing on and in the rocks. Our geologists have been challenged to surveying our surroundings to identify where weathering and erosion have occurred at Kruger State School.

Year 5

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be gearing up for NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy).

We have been and will continue to practice basic skills for NAPLAN, like writing from a short prompt, basic maths skills and facts, reading a short passage and answering questions for comprehension and language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation).

This week, in our classes, we practiced a bit of writing. Here are a few samples of our work.

Jodie To'o
Classroom Teacher - 5A

Year 6

Year 6 students are persevering both to embrace the responsibilities and to overcome the minor confusions that come with our new middle school model of curriculum delivery. This includes accessing their exciting electives as quickly and calmly as possible on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

In English, students continue to engage with My Place. They are particularly interested in some of the historical oddities mentioned in the text, such as our former monetary system involving pounds, shillings and pence. In Maths, we're nearing the end of our opening blitz on data. Students have been concentrating on the meaning and application of the terms mode and range in this context, and have been constructing representations of data including most maths teachers' favourite piece of statistical jargon, the legend.

HPE - Orhan Memedovski and Lachlan Bowser

Week 4 HPE – Year 5 & 6 – Mr M and Mr Bowser

Quote of the week – ‘I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying”.

In Year 5 and 6 Health, students have been exposed to their Health Messages under their Who Influences Me unit.

Why is it important to be sun safe? What is credibility? Students have been identifying health messages from ads and websites to ensure they are aware of credible sources. For their assessment, students will be expected to provide tips for their audience and answer questions relating to be sun smart.

During PE classes, Year 5 & 6 continued to improve their individual football skills of dribbling, turning and juggling. They will be expected to apply the elements of movement by performing movement sequences in response to music.

Friendly reminder from the HPE team:

Students are encouraged to have a hat and a drink bottle for all HPE classes.
Health lessons are a vital component in the curriculum. Regular participation, effort and a positive attitude is essential.
Remember to always have a go and do YOUR best! Moving your body and having fun will make you feel better.

Celebrating Our Teachers

Teacher 4A - Isabella Nolan

Hi, my name is Isabella Nolan, and I am excited to be joining the Kruger community as a Year 4 classroom teacher!

I am live and grew up on the Gold Coast, and I am half Singaporean and half Australian.

I strive to create a safe, nurturing and caring classroom environment where each child is free to express themselves, blossom and grow. I am looking forward to meeting and working with all the students and families throughout the year.